Arch Anant Gadgil has judiciously and sagaciously put to use his MLC Fund for the larger public good

Strap : A pioneer, a trend-setter in putting his MLC Local Area Development Fund to good use, his work is now the new bench-mark for other legislators to follow:

Mumbai

Architect Anant Gadgil has always shown his compassionate side whenever supporting any social cause. In the last six years of his representing the Congress party Member of the Legislative Council, Arch Anant Gadgil has judiciously and sagaciously put to use his MLC Fund helping the needy and the poor. He has also lent a helping hand to government and civic authorities in improving and modernizing their health care and other facilities.

Here is the testimony of his several public welfare works that Arch Anant Gadgil has done in the last six years:

Taking note of the paucity of funds felt in government and civic hospitals while procuring high-end medical or critical care equipment’s, Arch Anant Gadgil has used his MLC Fund in buying critical health care equipment’s.

A “mobile ICU” (modernised ambulance) worth Rs 23 lakh was given to the Indian Army Hospital in Kondhwa, Pune.

Provided ventilators, 10 lakh fowler beds for the ward and Rs 12 lakh each for ICU in the Children’s ward of Sassoon Hospital in Pune.

They were given Rs 15 lakh each for “eye surgery” in Sardar Patel Hospital, Pune Cantonment and Walse-Patil Eye Hospital, Bopodi,

During the Corona virus crisis, when Arch Anant Gadgil came to know that the government run J J Hospital in Mumbai was in urgent need of critical care medical equipment’s. He immediately got in touch with the hospital authorities, took stock of the situation and ensured that the JJ Hospital got “ventilators” and Rs “defibrillator’s” (required after heart attack) worth Rs 10 lakh.

Pune Cantonment Board Fire Brigade was facing an acute problem as it did not have an ambulance of its own to take the injured and rescued people to the hospital. Taking note of the problem, Arch Anant Gadgil provided an ambulance to the Pune Cantonment Board Fire Brigade.

In the field of education:

Arch Anant Gadgil did not restrict his charity work and utilizing his MLC Funds to just medical field he also used his Local Area Development Funds for other social and cultural causes also.

Taking note of the fact that several poor students from western Maharashtra and remote areas of Konkan studying in Pune city and district, Arch Anant Gadgil donated 5 to 10 computers for Computer Labs in more than 30 schools in the state and some in minority run educational institutions and other educational institutions and also helped in erection of “school furniture”.

In the city development area:

Arch Anant Gadgil also helped in creation of “Cultural Clubs” outside Ferguson and Symbiosis College’s. In order to preserve and promote cultural heritage, “Paintings” by painters on the subjects like “Our festivals”, “musical instruments” etc. were erected here. Received the NDTV Channel’s “National Nomination” for the project outside Ferguson

The sensitive nature of Arch Anant Gadgil can be gauged from the fact that he took note of the kith and kin who used to stand in the sun and rain at Dashakriya Ghat on the corner of Balgandharva bridge. He used his MLC Funds and built a 300 square foot hall for the people. India Today magazine took note of it and had a special mention of it in one of its editions in 2017.

Besides this, Arch Anant Gadgil generously used his MLC funds for construction of study halls for students, leisure centers, auditoriums as well as various places in Pune city. He donated equipment’s to Gymnasiums and literature material given to public libraries. He also provided financial assistance to Maharashtra Granthotejak Sanstha and funds for restoration of the heritage Mujumdar Wada.

Success achieved by Gadgil in the Legislative Council:

The government was forced to take several decisions on the forceful and articulate demands made in the House by Arch Anant Gadgil.

“InstallGlass panel fittings for elevator doors for women’s safety“

Misbehavior against women from closed door elevators in tall buildings has been on the rise. He urged the House for installing glass panel fittings everywhere in the elevators to prevent misconduct with women as well as for emergency problems. After nearly 30 years, the state government has changed the “Maharashtra Lift Act” to allow the installation of 16m glass panels so that the fire can be prevented for one hour.

“MakeDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s residence in Mumbai a Hawker Free area“

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s ‘Rajgruh’, his residence in Mumbai, was put in the Hawkers area by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Arch Anant Gadgil raised his voice in the House against this and the government was forced to declare the area Hawker Free.

“Make plans and take measures for strengthening and safety of buildings“

People are making changes to the building on behalf of any contractor during the interior renovation. This has already threatened the structural stability of many buildings. Arch Anant Gadgil demanded a ban on such malpractices was made in the House. Now the appointment of an Architect has been made mandatory by the state government

“Leave some open space in the parking space in the building for water to drain“

Nowadays all buildings are having concreted space for parking. This stores water in the rainy season and prevents it from being absorbed in the soil. That is why he demanded in the Legislative Council that some space should be reserved for open soil on the ground floor of the building for water to seep into the ground. The state government has announced that 30% of the parking space will be reserved as open space.

Other issues raised by Arch Anant Gadgil in the Legislative Council in the last six years:

If he was a trend-setter in utilizing his MLC Funds for public good, then he used the legislative devices at his disposal in raising even more serious issues of public safety, welfare in the house.

Out of the total 450 questions of the Legislative Council in the last 6 years that Arch Anant Gadgil attended, he asked more than 50 questions only on Pune.

Some of the important questions that he asked in the Legislative Council are – in Pune: Transport, Ring Road, and reconstruction scheme for old Wada’s (mansions), Infrastructure in Mumbai, Transport, Mono and Metro Rail, Security of tall buildings and Fair remunerative prices for agricultural commodities

Some of Gadgil’s demands await government decision:

He demanded immediate action from the government on the rising pollution in Pune. The then Minister had assured for convening the meeting soon.

Considering the increasing number of cases in Pune courts, Arch Anant Gadgil has been consistently demanding that the government start a ‘High Court Bench’ or to start a ‘circuit bench’. A meeting of all concerned will be called soon.

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Vivek Bhavsar is the founder and editor of Thenews21.com. He started his career in journalism in 1993. While reporting extensively on socio-political issues, he has found his métier in political journalism as an expert on government policy-making. He has made his mark as an investigative journalist with his exposes of government corruption and deft analyses of the decisions made in the Mantralaya.